Minneriya SLA return to camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 August 1998, 23:14 GMT]
Around 20 busloads of soldiers from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp at Minneriya in the Pollonaruwa District, who were brought to Batticaloa to take part in the offensive into the Kokkadicholai area, 20 km southwest of Batticaloa on Wednesday, were seen returning to their base in a convoy on Friday, said informed sources in Europe when contacted by TamilNet

The convoy of buses, which was protected at the front and rear by tanks, had on their hood-racks, material including tents and cooking utensils, which indicated the Kokkadicholai operation could have had the objective of establishing a camp there, said the sources.

The convoy began its return to Minneriya from the SLA camp in Batticaloa town around 11:00 a.m. Roads were cleared of civilians and SLA personnel stood on both sides of the convoy's route as a protective cordon, said sources. This is known as 'picketing' in local the parlance, they added.